Apparatus for feeding plastic material into receptacles.



G. S. BAKER.

APPARATUS FOR FEEDING PLASTIC MATERIAL INTO REOEPTAOLES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.26,1912.

I 1,035,299, I Patnted Aug. 13,1912.

Witnesses Inventor M George Sam. e1 Baker WW Attorney To all whom it may concern:

UNITED TATES PATENT OFFICE.-

GEORGE SAMUEL IBAKER, OF WILILESDEN JUNCTION, LONDON, ENGLAND.

APPARATUS FOR FEEDING PLASTIC MATERIAL INTO BECEPTACLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 26, 1912. Serial No. 686,300.

Be it known that I, Grouse SAMUEL BAKER, a subject of he King of England, residing at Willesden. Junction, London, in England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Feeding Plastic Material into Receptacles, of which'the following is a specification.

This invention relates to apparatus for feeding plastic material part-icularly choco-v late and the like into molds or other receptacles and the object is to so improve devices of this character that material of a stiff consistency can be readily fed to and through a discharging device and thus into molds, or be otherwise disposed of according to requirements.

It has been previously proposed in apparatus of this class to provide at. the bottom of the hopper a reciprocating slide having a pocket which is brought into communicatign with said hopper and with a measuring chamber in which works a plunger which draw'sthe material out of the hopper and subsequently forces it through a discharge nozzle, but this'device has been found impracticable for use with materials of a stiff consistency for the reason that the plunger is unable to properly draw the material from the hopper into the pocket in the slide owing tothe restrictedfapertureQleading theremto and further -"that material-which is drawn in clogs therein and caiiiiotfbe efi ciently ejected through the discharge nozzle;

It has also been proposed to positively .feed' the material by means of a worm and tones a rotary valve between the hopper and discharge nozzlepthis valve having a straight through passage which Y is alternately brought. into communication with the hop per and. measuring chamber and with the latter and discharge nozzle, but here again the form of the passage through the valve and the inadequate strength of the plunger 1n the measuring chamber render this form quite -1noperative where materials of stiff consistency are concerned, although both forms of devices above described are admirably adapted for use with materials in sernl liquid or highly plastic condition.

y Now, according to the present invention,

I provide a form of apparatus in which materlals of stiff consistency or those of only a small degree of plasticity can be readily fed to the measuring chamber and thence through the discharge nozzle, the plunger cross sectional area without having to pass throu not being used to exert any suctional efiect on the material but the latter being positively forced out of the hopper into a form of rotary valve which has a curved channel therethrough permitting a clear run for material between the hopper and measuring chamber, charge nozzle, the to bring the measurin chamber into communication with said discharge nozzle in the usual way, so that the material can be forced through said nozzle by the plunger.

The invention also comprises the combination with the particular construction of parts described, of mechanism for actuating said parts. i

An example of apparatuls constructed according to this invention is represented in the annexed drawin which shows a sectional elevation of t e hopper, measuring and discharging devices and appurtenant parts with the operating mechanism in elevation.

a designates the hopper which may have the usual jacket I) for a heating or cooling medium, and in which are mounted paddles 0 for working up the material and exerting a feeding or forcing action on the material to assist in directing it toward the feed rolls d, which are preferably provided with closely positioned grooves e on their peripheries or otherwise roughened and which positively force the material through the outlet-.f ofthe hopper into the rotary valve 9 which, 'as shown, has a curved channel h, shown in ,full lines, of wide aperture occupying a large proprtion'of the body of the valve and being substantially of the same as the measuring chamber which contains the plunger 7'. With this form of valve it will be seen that the materialv has a clear run through between the hopper and the mbia llrmg chamber and between the "material stricted apertures, eing positively forced alongiby'the feed rolls d 1nof any s'ucti'onal action of the opthe dependently plunger .j-: which only becomes actively erative to force the, material throng discharge nozzle 1 rotated into the position shown in full lines.

and between, the latter and dis-- valve being then rotated the latter and-discharge nozale h any re-' when the valve has been i k and 70 show scrapers or slides between the feed rolls and valve and between the feed rolls and hopper respectively to off the open space between these parts but shut allow chocolate accumulated in the grooves of the rolls to be carried around with them and pass back into the hopper.

Below the discharge nozzle [is a reciprocating cut off blade Z for cutting 011' the portion of plastic material delivered through said nozzle, said blade being mounted on an adjustable rod 1 which is pressed upward by a spring Z attached to a block Z slidable on the table of'the machine.

Any suitable mechanisms may be used for operating the parts described inproper -time relation but those shownin the draw- I ings include a lever 1 to which the rod 1 is pivotally attached-as by hook. Z? and connected to a pair of arms Z operated by a cam Z on a shaft m driven by means 'of a spur-wheel m meshing with a pinion m on the main driving shaft m 4 a The valve is rocked by means of a pinio n secured to its spindle and in mesh with a quadrant a connected by a rod 0?? to a lever 91. operated by a pair of arms and cam similar to Z, i above mentioned.

The feed rolls d are intermittently. operated, that is to say, they are rotated when the valve is open to the hopper and remain stationary when said valve is closed thereto by means of interrupted gearing including a partially toothed wheel 0 on shaft m which cooperates with another partially toothed wheel 0 on the axle of which is a pinion 0 meshing with a pinion 0 having integral therewith a spur-wheel 0 meshing with a pinion 0 which drives chain wheel and chain gear 0, 0, 0 operating one of the feed rolls d, this'wheel being geared to the other roll by means of the train of gearing p, 11 p which in turn operate the paddles 0 through gearing g, g g The plunger j is reciprocated by means of an eccentric 1' on shaft m, and rods 1 r with interposed link 1' for adusting the stroke of the plunger, said linl;

being operated as by means of a hand wheel 9* and worm gearing r. Adjustment of one of the feed rolls may be effected by -mounting same in sliding bearings operated by a hand wheel 8 and vworm gear mg 8 V i Wh at,I-claim as my invention anddesire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. a machine for feeding plastic materlal into receptacles, the combination of a hopper, a measuring chamber. positioned for communication with q said hopper, a discharge nozzle connected for communication .with said measuring chamber, said-- valve l g pe ble to open and close communicatlon between the measuring chamber and .the hopper and likewise between the dis-,

charge nozzle and the measuring chamber,

feed rolls positioned intermediate the hop.-

per andthe measuring chamber 01 forcing measuring chamber;

material into the latter, and means for operating said feed rolls whereby the rotation thereof is arrested when the...valve cuts off communication between the hopper and the 2. In a machine for feeding plastic material into receptacles, the combination of a hopper, stirring means therein, revoluble feed rolls closing the lower end of said hopper, a measuring chamber in communication with said hopper and terminating at one end in a discharge nozzle, a rotaryvalve in said 1 chamber adapted to open and close communication between the hopper and measuring chamber and between the latter and the discharge nozzle, said valve having a curved passage of approximately the same cross sectional area as that of the measuring chamber, means for intermittently operating said feed rolls so as to arrest the rotation thereofwhen the valve cuts off communication between the hopper and the measuring chamber, and a reciprocatory plunger in the measuring chamber adapted to force material through the valve when the latter is open to the discharge nozzle, substantially as described.

, 3. In a machine for feeding plastic material into receptacles, the combination of a hopper, rotary stirrin paddles therein, revoluble feed rolls closmg the lower end of said hopper, a measuring chamber in communication'with said hopper and terminating at one end in a discharge nozzle, a rotary valve in said chamber adapted to open and close communication between the hopper and measuring chamber and between the latter and the discharge nozzle, said 'valve having a curved passage of approximately the same cross sectional area as that of the measuring chamber, means for intermittently imparting rotative movement to said feed rolls, said means operatin to arrest the rotation of the feed rolls att e time the valve cuts ofi' communication between the ciprocatory plun er in the measuring chamber adapted to orce material through. the valve when the latter is open to the dlscharge nozzle, and a reciprocatorycut oil 'knife co-actiug with said discharge nozzle,v substantially as described. I

4. In aimachine for feeding plastic ma Y hopper and the measuring chamber, a reterial into receptacles, the combination of a hopper-{rotary stirring paddles therein, revoluble feed rolls clos ng the lower end of a; said hopper, a measuring chamber in com munication with said ho per and terminat-- .1

ingat one end'in a disc arge nozzle, ai-r ta Valve i d.- hamberadapted-to opel an close communication between .the ho '1 per and measuring chamber and between t g... latter and the discharge nozzle,'.said -valvej having a curved passage of. approximately the same cross sectiona area as. thati of the measuring chamber a reciprocator plunger in the measurin chamber adapte to force material throu the valve when the latter is open to the ischarge nozzle, a reciprocatory cut off knife co-acting with said dis: charge nozzle, means for actuating said knife, means for intermittently rotating the feed rolls and paddles, said means being operable to arrest the rotation of the feed rolls when the valve closes communication between the measuring chamber and the hopper, means for oscillating the valve, and means for reciprocating the plunger, substantially as described.

5. In a machine for feeding lastic material into receptacles, the com ination of a hop er, rotary stirring paddles therein revolu 1e feed rolls closing the lower end 0 said hopper, a measuring chamber in communication with said ho per and terminating at one end in a disc arge nozzle, a rotarv valve in said chamber adapted to open and close communication between the ho er and measuring chamber and between t e atter and the discharge nozzle, said valve having a curved passage of approximately the same cross sectiona area as that of the measuring chamber a reciprocator plunger in the measurin chamber adapte to force material throu the valve when the latter is open to the ischarge nozzle, a reciprocatory cut oil knife co-actin'g with said discharge nozzle a cam operated lever for actuating said knife, means for rotating the feed rolls and paddles including interrupt ed gearing, said means being operable to arrest the rotation of the feed rolls when the valve closes communication between the measuring chamber and the hopper, means for oscillating the valve including a pinion on the valve spindle, a quadrant meshing therewith and a cam operated lever for rocking said quadrant and means for reciprocatin said plunger including an eccentric, an

adjustable link and connections between said link and the eccentric and plunger respectively, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two wit- GEORGE SAMUEL BAKER. Witnesses:

H. D. Jameson, H. V. Pom'nnr. 

